U.S. international Ricardo Pepi continues to make his mark in Dutch football, scoring his 16th goal of the season for PSV in just 11 minutes after coming off the bench during their victory over NAC Breda.
The dramatic match saw PSV initially fall behind when NAC Breda took the lead in the 26th minute. However, the Dutch league leaders mounted a comeback before halftime, with Guus Til scoring twice to put PSV ahead 2-1. Pepi, who was introduced as a substitute in the 79th minute, made an immediate impact by scoring what proved to be the decisive goal in stoppage time. The American striker perfectly timed his run through the opposition's defense to connect with Ismael Saibari's assist. His goal proved crucial as NAC Breda's Kacper Kostorz scored late to make it 3-2, but PSV held on for the win.
The goal marks an impressive milestone in Pepi's season, bringing his total to 16 goals across all competitions, with 11 of those coming in the Eredivisie. This strike ended a brief two-game goalless spell for the American forward. Notably, Pepi now stands alone in second place in the Eredivisie Golden Boot race, trailing only FC Twente's Sem Steijn. What makes Pepi's achievement even more remarkable is that his 11 league goals have come in less than 700 minutes of play, while Steijn's 15 goals have required 1,472 minutes. Beyond his Eredivisie success, Pepi has also contributed four goals in the KNVB Cup and one in the Champions League this season.
The match also featured another American talent, as Richy Ledezma played the full 90 minutes in the victory. PSV now turns their attention to a crucial Champions League fixture against Liverpool on Wednesday, where their seeding fate in the knockout stages hangs in the balance.
